Joist and the manufacture thereof



Feb; 25, 1930. R. A. BATES 1,748,628

JOIST AND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed May 7. 1928 Patented Feb.- 25,

jsmss" 3101mm) an mus, or nasricnroneo; innraua, assreuon. To BATESEXPANDED TEE Trwss COMPANY; or ,EAST'QI-IICAGQ, i vnraua,A'CORPOEATiON-OF DELA WARE I grors'r Ann rnn ivmnuracrunn THEREOFApplication filed my 7; 192a; seriniuafavaeea.

metallic structural element such for example as an I-beam, and have theweb-portion'between the flanges slit and expanded to formdiagonaltrussing consisting of compression, andtension membersf j Oneobject of the present inventionis to, provide a joist or beam of thischaracter in which the ends are not'slitor expanded sothat they are ofmaximum strength and the end portions of the bottom flange operate asand is independent of the bearing plates or" the ends of the joist. v rI Another object of the invention is to prointegral bearing plateswherebythe joist is held in'its operative'position against trans verserocking movement, and lILWhlCll the lower member consistmg of thecentral or intermediate part of the'bottoinflange and the adjoiningweb-portion is in suspension vide a method of manufacturing joists orbeams of the aforementioned construction by whlch the oists maybemanufactured at a comparatively low cost and witha minimum number ofoperations. N

A further object of vide a joist or structural supporting element Ywhich is of new and improved construction and may be readilyandeconomic'ally fabricated and utilized for buildingand otherpun poses.

- In addition'the invention" contemplates as i one of its objects toimprove the joist construction and. manufacturing method disforimprovements in metal joistsand the I .manufacture thereof, filedOctober 8,

i and serially numbered 224,802.

closed in an application of A'lbert J .j-Bates,

Jr., for Letters Patent'of theUnited States Other objects will bemanifest from a read ing of the detailed description which follows.

. The invention consists inthe several novel features hereinafter'setforthand more particularly defined by "the claims. at the con: clusionhereof. i

'In the drawing which accompanies and formsa part of thisspecification'or descripthe invention is to pro-I ti'on and in whichlike characters ofreference denote corresponding parts throughout the.

several views:

Figure 1 1s a s'ideelevation ofan I-beam the oist, or supporting beamFigure 2 is a similar, view illustrating in deafter it has beenexpanded;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the finished tail the manner of slittingthe beam before it' is expanded;- 1 Figure 3' is a slde elevation ofthebeam joist showing the same in its operative position j c j Figure 5is asection taken onthe-"line 55 of Figure 4; i

' Figure 6 is a section taken on the'line 6 6: j

of Figure 4;andc g Figure 7- isa section taken online;77 of Theinvention is exemplified in a joist,

consists of a vertical web a and a horizontal flange a projectinglaterally from both sides beam, or structural supporting element com-1pris ng a longitudinal upper member Wl'llCh thereof and forming the topof the joist; 'a"

lower longitudinal member which consists of a vertical web a and ahorizontal flange a projecting laterally from both sides there of andforming the bottom of the joist {a series of substantially paralleldiagonal; truss extendbetween the webs ofthe upper and lower members.-The trussmembers a anda are medially united and together form tensionand compression members. L'lll' of the parts or members which togetherform-the joist are integral and are formed of an I beam or bar A,such,for example, as the one shown in Flgurel. The upper and lower "flangestothe fiangesja and of this bar correspond a of the joist. Q I r I Inthe fabrication or manufacture ofthe -members a which extend between theyer tical webs a and'a of the'upper and lower members; anda' series ofoppositely e'xtend- .ing diagonal truss members a which also flanges aand a longitudinally aligned slits a with bonds a between them, and acentral or intermediate series of slits a with bonds a between them. Theslits of the lower series are parallel with the slits a of the upperseries and are coextensive therewith. The slits of the intermediateseries are equal in length -L0 the slits a and a and are staggeredrelatively thereto so. the bonds at. are positioned midway between thebonds a and (L10. The portions of the web between the slits form strandswhich, when expanded or spread apart as hereinafter described constitutethe tension and compression truss members a and a The lower series ofslits a as well as the upper and intermediate series terminates somedistance inwardly of the ends ofthe beam so as to form supportingportions a. These portions are left uncut and as result are of a heightequal to the entire width of the beam A, that is, they are equal to theaggregate height of the web ti the strands between the slits a and a,the web'cf and the The end portions of-the flange a which underlie theportions a form bearing plates a at the ends of the joist whereby thejoist may be supported in its operative position upon a suitablesupporting structure, such, for example, as the I-beams B shown inFigure 4. In operation or use, the plates a serve to hold the joistagainst transverse rocking movement and prevent the joist from cuttinginto the supporting structure which sometimes is of brick-work. A

charactertistic of forming the ends of the joist in this manner is thatthey are of maximum strength due to the fact that they are uncut and noadditional or non-integral reinforcement isnecessary. Additionally thebearing plates a are formed as an integral part of the portions ca withthe result that the use of separate members and the incident of thelower series so as to eliminate compression or downwardly and outwardlyextending truss members, adjacent the beamends and so that the uppermember of the joist is additionally reinforced adjacent the endsthereof. By omitting these slits, portions a are provided between theend portions a and the second diagonal or truss members of the oist.These POlillO-HS are of a. height equal to the aggregate height of thevertical web a and the strands between the slits a and a and operate toreinforce the joist at the places where most needed. A

charactertistic of terminating or omitting the slits a at the ends ofthe beam as set forth and shown is that there are only tension trussmembers adjacent the beam-ends and the metal which would otherwise formdownwardly and outwardly extending compression members adjacent the endsof the sheared transversely to form slits a which extend upwardly fromthe bottom flange to the outer terminating points of the end slits ofthe lower series. These slits a extend completely through the portionswhich'form the web a and flange a of the lower member of the joist, withthe result that the ends of saidlower member are separate from thesupporting portions a and after the expanding operation, are insuspension. A characteristic of'shearing the beam in this manner insteadof cuttingand extending the end slits of the lower series to intersectthe end edges of the beam as shown and described in the aforementionedapplication of Albert J. Bates Jr., is that the metal which wouldordinarily have to be sheared away so that the ends of the lower memberwill not abut against or interfere with the supports or I-beams B,remains in place and is utilized to formthe bearingplates a.Furthermore, the ends of the lower member are properly spaced withrespect to the portions a without additional shearing or cutting. Anadditional characteristic of slitting the beam in the manner set forthis that no additional operation is necessary after the expandingoperation, as the joist is complete and ready for use. By having/the endslits of the lower series extend outwardly or beyond the end slits ofthe intermediate series the end compression members are connected to theportions (1 and a by sizable or pronounced parts a.

After the beam A has been slitted as described, it is heated and theupper. and lower flanges a and a are spread apart in parallelism bysuitable expanding mechanism into the position shown in Figure Thisexpanding operation stretches and deflect-s the strands between andformed by the slits a a and a into the diagonal truss members a and a,leaving their ends joined to the web of the upper and lower members andtheir medial portions joined together. This formsa series ofdiamondshaped openings in the web and permits the extent of expansionnecessary to form a joist of any-desired height. The metal at the endsofthe beam which is included in the portions a being uncutis left in itsoriginal form. Since the ends of the lower-member are severed from theseportions by the slits a it is manifest that they will not be deflectedsimilarly to the end tension members but will be expanded in parallelismwith the intermediate part of the "1 lower member. The slits at arespaced from the flange a a greater distance than the slits a are spacedvfrom the flange a to give great- I er strength to the upper member.

Struts a are placed between the upper and lower longitudinal members ofthe oist in the end openings to act as vertical com- .pression, membersbetween said longitudinal members. These struts have their upper y l theend bonds a ends Welded as at a to the inner ends or" the portions andtheir lower ends welded to By positioning the Struts 0; as set forth,that is, a suitable-distance from the "ends of the beam downwardstresses are transmitted directly from the upper member to the lowermember at the most suitable-points or locations. p

The joist or structural supporting ele- I ment disclosed herein is of animproved charcomplete and ready for immediate use after i acterbecause'the. ends of the I-beam from which itis formed remain uncut andtherefore are of maximum height and strength and the endsof the lowermember of the joist are in suspension and. properly spaced with respect;to the supported end portions. The joist may be readily manufactured and1s the expanding operation, as no additional shearing and no Welding isnecessary after said expanding operation.

The slitting 'of' he beam A may be advantageously done in a machine'ofthe character set forth in an application filed November 5, 1926, ,bytheaforesaid Albert J Bates, Jr.,

and, serially numbered 141,702,. The expanding. may be done 'in amachine of thetypeset forth in Letters Pat ent-of theUnited j States No.1,260,857, dated March 26, 1918. c

The invention is not to be restricted to the specific details set forth,since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from'the "spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I-claim' as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent,[is: j w

1. A joist or-supporting beam comprising I an upper. longitudinallyextending member embodyinga web -portion, the ends of said web-portionbeing enlarged downwardlyand having integral laterally extendingflan-ges at the lower marginal parts thereof, a lower i longitudinallyextending member also embodying a web-portion, and diagonal trussingbetween and integral with the members and at" the central part thereof,the ends of flanged ends of theupper member,

said ,lower member i'being disconnected from and terminatingvinwardlyofthe enlarge nal truss members between and integral with c the centralparts of the web-portions of said 1nembers,the ends of the lower memberbeing in suspensionand terminating inwardly of the enlarged flangedends, ;,of1the upper member. I

3, An expanded metal ij'oist formed of a beam having a verticalwebf andan integral flange at'thelower margin of the web, and comprising anupper [longitudinal member; including theupper central part of the weband the complete'and flanged end parts of the beam, lowerlongitudinalmember in cluding the lower central part of the web and thecontiguousand medialportion of the flange; and diagonal truss; membersextending between the web portions ofthe longitudinalmembers, said trussmembers being formed of the intermediate central part of I the web,thefend portionsof thefiange at the ends of the ,upper'member formingbearing platesffor theijoist. H

4:; An expanded metal joist formed of an- I-beam and comprising'an upperlongitudinal member including the complete I and unthe upper part of"the web, a lower, longi-. tudinalmember including the lower centralportion of the weband the. contiguous and medial portion of thelowerflange, and diag onal'truss membersextending between the longitudinalmembers and formed of the in termediate central part of the 'web,theends r changed'ends ofthe beam, the'top flange and Y of the lower memberbeing insuspension and e terminating inwardly of the double flanged'rends of the upper member.

of. expanded metal joists which consists in 5. ;;That improvement in themanufacture slitting. the medial portion of a flanged beam to" form anupper and alower. longitudinal member and a series ofexpansibl j t s 1between and bonded to said members, and

cutting the beam transversely adjacentitheends thereof so, asto causetheentire flanged end parts'o'f the beam to be associated with the endsof the upper member and'al'so cause the ends'of the lower member toterminate inwardly of and to be disconnected with respect to the saidflanged end parts of the uppermember; and then expanding the beam tospace apartth'e longitudinal members and form of the strands diagonaltruss members.

6. That improvement in-the manufacture of expanded metal joists whichconsists in slitting the medial portionof a flanged beam to form anupper and a lower longitudinal member and two intermediate and side byside series of expansible strands with bonds between themselves and saidmembers, and cutting the beam transversely adjacent the ends thereof tocause the entire flanged end parts of the beam to be associated with theends of the upper member and also cause the ends of the lower member toterminate inwardly of and to be disconnected with respect to the saidflanged end parts of the upper member; and then expanding the beam tospace the members in parallelism and form of the strands oppositelyextending and centrally joined diagonal truss members.

'7. That improvement in the manufacture of expanded metaljoists whichconsists first in slitting the medial portion ofa flanged beam on aplurality of longitudinal lines to form an upper and a lowerlongitudinal member and a series of strands between and bond ed to saidmembers, cutting the'beam transversely near the ends thereof tointersect the outer ends of the end slits of the lower line so as tocause the entire flanged end parts of the beam to be associated with theendsof the upper member and also cause the ends of the lower membertoterminate inwardly of and to be disconnected with respect to the saidflanged end parts of the upper member; and then expanding the beam tospace the members apart and form of the strands diagonal truss members.r p

8. That improvement in the manufacture of'expanded metal joists Whichconsists first in slitting the medial portion of an I-beam on threelongitudinal lines to form an upper and a lower longitudinal member andtwo intermediate and side by side seriesofexpansible strands With bondsbetween themselves and said members, and cutting the beam transverselythrough the lower things up to the outer ends of the end slits of thelower line so as to cause the'entire flanged end parts of the beam to beassociated with the ends of the upper member and also cause the endsofthe lower member to terminate inwardly of and to be disconnected withrespect to the said flanged end parts'of the upper member; and thenexpanding the: beam to space in parallelism the members and form of thestrands oppositely extending and centrally joined diagonal trussmembers.

Signed at East Chicago lndianaythis 30th day of April, 1928. f

, RICHARD A. BATES images

